(Washington, D.C., Hispanic Christian Newswire)
America’s largest Hispanic Christian Organization, The National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC), The Hispanic National Association of Evangelicals, announced today the 7 Priorities the organization will focus on from now until 2015; Life, Family, Evangelism, Education, Youth , Stewardship and Justice. The announcement comes in the heel of the organization’s annual board meeting.
“21st century challenges require an evangelical community to speak on a moral and biblical platform that is culturally and prophetically relevant. As the Evangelical movement ages, we hope to make a significant contribution. We must lead with righteousness and justice as we incorporate spiritual, educational, moral and justice threads in all our work for the Cause of Christ and His Kingdom”, stated Dr. Jesse Miranda, Chief Executive Officer of the organization.
Recent surveys by Pew Research and others point to the Hispanic Evangelical community as a thriving community reinvigorating many of the evangelical denominations in America. As the sister organization of the National Association of Evangelicals, the NHCLC stands a part by culturally contextualizing the 7 priorities. The organization, while tracing its roots to the first ever Hispanic National Network, A.M.E.N, today the leadership function of its daughter organization, sees the broadening of the agenda as a sign of the times.
“Our priorities reflect our core values. Hispanic Evangelicals have a moral and biblical responsibility to address issues that reconcile both the vertical and horizontal elements of the Christian Cross. For that matter, we will channel our energy and resources for the purpose of expanding sanctity of life agenda, defending and strengthening marriage and families, fulfilling the Great Commission, and fighting for Justice, which includes advocacy for immigration reform and alleviating poverty both domestically and globally.
In addition we stand committed to our Youth as we address reducing the teenage pregnancy and the high school dropout rates, expanding educational opportunities all while framing a national platform for biblical stewardship of both our economy and environment”, explained Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, NHCLC President.
“We believe the Hispanic church will usher in a fresh move of God’s Spirit upon our nation where Holiness and Biblical Truth will once again take center stage”, he added.
The Conference will publish a document titled The Hispanic Evangelical Manifesto outlining the specific biblical foundation, supportive research and strategies for each corresponding cause. NHCLC will identify 7 strategic Non Hispanic Partners that will join the Hispanic Church in addressing the issues.
“It’s a new season. The Hispanic Evangelical church stands committed to a prophetic proclamation of the Gospel while simultaneously committed to a prophetic demonstration of biblical social justice. Our children demand it, our culture needs it, Our Lord requires it”, exclaimed Dr. Gilbert Velez, National Chairman.
For Interviews and additional information, please contact Maritza Ramirez, NHCLC Marketing and Media Director, at 916-919-7476. www.hispanicevangelicals.com and hispanicchurch@aol.com
"He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water." Isaiah 49:10
Monday, September 21, 2009
Assemblies of God join Hispanic National Association of Evangelicals, Dr. George Wood - Serve on Advisory Board
(Washington, D.C., Hispanic Christian Newswire)
America’s largest Hispanic Christian Organization, The National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC), The Hispanic National Association of Evangelicals, announced today the addition to its membership roster of one America’s largest denominations, the Assemblies of God, headquartered in Springfield, Missouri.
“It is a natural fit for The Assemblies of God, already the largest Hispanic member denomination to fully join the Hispanic NAE. We have for years via AMEN and the NHCLC served the Hispanic churches in the fellowship, what is historic of this membership and partnership agreement is that we will serve all 12,000 plus churches as it relates to Hispanic American Christian values, priorities and representation as we defend Life, marriage and our biblical worldview”, stated Dr. Jesse Miranda, Chief Executive Officer of the organization.
The growth of the Pentecostal Hispanic community within the ranks of the American Evangelical community stands poised to transform the national religious landscape since, according to Pew Research and Dr. Gaston Espinosa, a Latino Evangelical expert, Hispanic Pentecostals stand committed to a strong biblical worldview particularly in issues of social and family values.
“With the recent launch of the National Hispanic Pentecostal Congress in addition to this historic membership/partnership agreement with The General Council of the Assemblies of God, we are demonstrating our commitment to serve a vibrant and powerful emerging community. The relationship between the Assemblies of God and Hispanics can be traced to the early 20th Century when AG missionaries began an outreach to Hispanics in America and abroad resulting in the Pentecostal explosion both domestically and abroad”, explained Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, NHCLC President.
In addition to membership affiliation, Assemblies of God General Superintendent, the denominations Chief Executive Officer will serve on the Association’s Board of Advisors. ”The National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, the Hispanic National Association of Evangelicals, serves our Fellowship of over 12,000 churches, particularly in representing the values of our Hispanic brethren by defending biblical marriage, life, and advocating social justice from a biblical world view”, stated Dr. George Wood, General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God in America.
The Assemblies of God offers a number of academic opportunities via colleges, universities and bible institutes throughout the nation, a compelling feature for the growing Hispanic American Pentecostal community.
“The fact that Jesse, Sam and I are Assemblies of God ministers speaks to the prominent role this fellowship exercises within our American and Global Christian family. We are proud to be part of this fellowship and blessed to serve the church as we build a multi- ethnic Kingdom Culture firewall against moral relativism, spiritual apathy and cultural decay”, added Dr. Gilbert Velez, Board Chairman.
America’s largest Hispanic Christian Organization, The National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC), The Hispanic National Association of Evangelicals, announced today the addition to its membership roster of one America’s largest denominations, the Assemblies of God, headquartered in Springfield, Missouri.
“It is a natural fit for The Assemblies of God, already the largest Hispanic member denomination to fully join the Hispanic NAE. We have for years via AMEN and the NHCLC served the Hispanic churches in the fellowship, what is historic of this membership and partnership agreement is that we will serve all 12,000 plus churches as it relates to Hispanic American Christian values, priorities and representation as we defend Life, marriage and our biblical worldview”, stated Dr. Jesse Miranda, Chief Executive Officer of the organization.
The growth of the Pentecostal Hispanic community within the ranks of the American Evangelical community stands poised to transform the national religious landscape since, according to Pew Research and Dr. Gaston Espinosa, a Latino Evangelical expert, Hispanic Pentecostals stand committed to a strong biblical worldview particularly in issues of social and family values.
“With the recent launch of the National Hispanic Pentecostal Congress in addition to this historic membership/partnership agreement with The General Council of the Assemblies of God, we are demonstrating our commitment to serve a vibrant and powerful emerging community. The relationship between the Assemblies of God and Hispanics can be traced to the early 20th Century when AG missionaries began an outreach to Hispanics in America and abroad resulting in the Pentecostal explosion both domestically and abroad”, explained Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, NHCLC President.
In addition to membership affiliation, Assemblies of God General Superintendent, the denominations Chief Executive Officer will serve on the Association’s Board of Advisors. ”The National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, the Hispanic National Association of Evangelicals, serves our Fellowship of over 12,000 churches, particularly in representing the values of our Hispanic brethren by defending biblical marriage, life, and advocating social justice from a biblical world view”, stated Dr. George Wood, General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God in America.
The Assemblies of God offers a number of academic opportunities via colleges, universities and bible institutes throughout the nation, a compelling feature for the growing Hispanic American Pentecostal community.
“The fact that Jesse, Sam and I are Assemblies of God ministers speaks to the prominent role this fellowship exercises within our American and Global Christian family. We are proud to be part of this fellowship and blessed to serve the church as we build a multi- ethnic Kingdom Culture firewall against moral relativism, spiritual apathy and cultural decay”, added Dr. Gilbert Velez, Board Chairman.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Is Anyone Minding the Unemployment Nightmare?
Fidel "Butch" Montoya
H. S. Power & Light Ministries - Latino Faith Initiative
One of the most frightening scenarios I envision for our country’s future results from the number of people who are standing in unemployment lines across our country without any prospect of finding a job, either full-time or part-time. Unemployment statistics keep rising with no end in sight. As politicians search for answers, the unemployment rate continues to escalate, this past month, creeping closer to 10%, the highest percentage in 26 years.
Many laid-off people are nearing the end of their government options for receiving unemployment benefits. Unemployed workers receive 26 weeks of unemployment benefits after losing their jobs. As an emergency measure, the government has added another 13 weeks in hopes that workers will find jobs during that period.
Unfortunately, the unemployment rate continues to inch up, with the last report from the government showing 9.7% of Americans are without jobs. In August, another 466,000 joined the 14.9 million Americans out of work. When you look at the number of companies still laying off employees, the future for many workers is bleak, even dire.
In Michigan, the unemployment rate is closer to 15% with the production of cars and trucks continuing to fall. Factories are shutting shut down due to poor car sales; others are running at less than their production capacity.
The government gimmick of “Cash for Clunkers” was a success; with most car dealers pleasantly surprised at the number of vehicles they ended up selling during the $3 billion dollar corporate welfare program. Consumers who traded in their “clunker” received a $4,500 rebate, and some dealers added another several thousand-dollar incentive to the government rebate, making it very attractive to junk their clunker.
“Cash for Clunkers” worked in adding 31,000 people to the job rolls. Unfortunately, now that the incentives are no longer in place, car buying is down as consumers are weary of buying big-ticket items again. Motor vehicle and parts companies lost 15,000 jobs in August.
With so many workers out of work and trying for the first time to reach unemployment offices to apply for unemployment benefits, they have encountered an uncaring bureaucracy that defies description.
In Colorado, where Don Mares is the Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, he has faced an avalanche of criticism and heat from frustrated jobless persons, frustrated by their attempts to get unemployment benefits either online or by telephone.
One caller wrote to 9News/NBC in Denver about her experience on the telephone: “I haven't been this frustrated in a LONG TIME. I've been trying to call over 100 times a day (at least) for over 2 weeks, but have called in off and on for longer than that. I've got kiddos that need food on the table and I'm running out of time to get the money rolling in. You would THINK that it being this big of a problem they would be open for longer hours AT LEAST, have the people that are working there take turns getting some OT, I'm sure their wallets could use it and then in turn more people would get processed and so they can have the money in their wallets for bills and food. This whole process is a DISGRACE!”
Similar stories are common around the country because state labor departments were simply not ready to address the tsunami of jobless workers seeking some sort of financial assistance.
In California, before an additional 1,650 new call takers came on board this spring, callers trying to find out information about unemployment benefits needed to dial the department a whopping 42 times to reach a person at the other end. What is even more astounding is that more than 85 per cent of the 50 million calls attempted in the month of January were turned away.
Even more overwhelming for unemployed Californians is that it still takes 17 calls to reach a live operator at the unemployment office. MercuryNews.com reports that nearly two-thirds of the 18.9 million calls made in July were rejected because the phone service was too busy. Talk about added frustration as desperate jobless workers just try to find answers from local government job agencies.
Just to give you an idea of the cost to states resulting from unemployment, consider what is happening in California. MercuryNews.com reports that the Employment Development Department says it has already distributed $12.5 billion in unemployment insurance benefits this year - 50 per cent more than the record $8.1 billion paid out in all of 2008. In addition, many people, because of federal extensions of unemployment benefits, are staying on state rolls longer than usual.
With many workers close to exhausting their unemployment benefits, workers have to turn to jobs where many are barely making the minimum wage. Even though these workers may want full-time jobs, having to settle for part-time work or jobs that they really don’t want or are trained for, puts them in a class of worker the government terms “underemployment.”
Another class of workers are “discouraged workers.” These are workers who give up seeking work because they believe no jobs are available to them. The Department of Labor is faced with a growing number of “discouraged workers.”
In a recent press release, the department issued some more bad news: “About 2.3 million persons were marginally attached to the labor force in August, reflecting an increase of 630,000 from a year earlier. (The data are not seasonally adjusted.) These individuals were not in the labor force, wanted and were available for work, and had looked for a job sometime in the prior 12 months. They were not counted as unemployed because they had not searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey.”
In other words, with unemployment benefits drying up, and workers not looking for work because in the prior 12 months they had been unable to find a job, many are cast aside hope of finding a job. With the economy still sputtering, the future is not looking very hopeful for many workers seeking employment.
What is equally troubling is the fact that the Department of Labor does not even count these indisputably unemployed people as “unemployed” because four weeks prior to the survey they had given up looking for work. So, instead of adding these thousands of workers to the unemployment rolls, it looks like the government has simply written them off like the banks have written off toxic assets or mortgages.
If only it were that easy to erase the number of Americans without work, but these jobless workers are still out there suffering the loss of self esteem, pride and professional networking, not to mention facing a future of hopelessness. In addition, the real issue we cannot overlook is that these workers without jobs are real people with real families and real needs.
These figures also do not reflect the millions who are working part-time jobs hoping to make up for hours cut back from their regular jobs, or working these jobs because they simply have been unable to land full-time jobs.
Can you believe millions of American workers are facing a future with little or no hope in the land of the free and home of the brave? That can’t be happening - or can it? Why is it that the billion dollar bail out in stimulus dollars no longer affect our economy? Where do jobless workers turn to when unemployment benefits run out and jobs are still unavailable?
Yet, we continue to hear the President and other government leaders say the worst of the down economy may be over and that things should be looking up. The recession, which is officially over one year old, is finally – maybe – hopefully – ending.
Even Colorado officials are saying that the Colorado job market is getting better without any significant increase in unemployment as one sign the market could be stabilizing. Hard to picture this employment environment so rosy when in 2008 the unemployment rate was 4.9%. Today, that unemployment rate is 7.8%!
Keep in mind that most of the unemployed workers who cannot find suitable jobs are used to working for a wage and living. They bought into the American Dream like the rest of us, and now find their dream turning into a nightmare. The question that lurks in the minds of many workers is, “Are we closer to the unemployment line than we care to think?”
These workers living the nightmare cannot make mortgage payments or pay their rent. In some cases, their cars are being reposed because of non-payment. Families who were used to a middle-class standard of living are now finding out that dreams alone do not foot the bills.
As more workers find they are unable to find employment, what is going to happen to thousands of families unable to meet their monthly payment obligations? As desperation begins to grow, what will become of these families as they discover that about the only alternative to not finding work may be homelessness? During the Great Depression, there were close to two million homeless families migrating across the country.
Those of us who have read John Steinbeck’s classic, “Of Mice and Men,” are familiar with the sad and desperate stories of the Great Depression. Many of us empathized with the lives of jobless workers who, out of anxiety and anguish, looked for any means to support their families.
While the President assures us that we are not headed to the Great Depression of 2009, one has to wonder about the jobless who cannot find work. Are they already facing their personal Great Depression?
Boyd Huppert, a reporter for KARE/NBC in Minneapolis, recently profiled workers at Checkers, a local popular fast-food hamburger joint. Huppert’s report demonstrated what this anemic economy is forcing workers to do survive the unprecedented “underemployment problem” facing our country.
What Huppert found was a mother lode of laid-off professionals now flipping burgers and frying French fries. He found homebuilders, a civil engineer, a former executive chef and an area manager for Walgreens among the workers in this hamburger joint. All barely working because - in spite of their years of experience and college degrees - this is the only work they could find.
What surprised Huppert was there were hundreds of others who wanted these jobs.
Huppert reported, “All of the workers with whom we talked at the Checkers were helpful, determined and happy to be employed, yet none of them were where they expected to be. You could go the [University of Minnesota] to study the way the economy is changing us – or you could stop for a burger and listen.”
The high unemployment rate hits minority groups and teenagers the hardest. Whites had an unemployment rate of 8.9 per cent, Latinos at 13 per cent, Blacks at 15.1 per cent, the highest it has been since 1986, and Asians at 7.5%. Teenagers, who generally worked some of the part-time jobs now taken by underemployed adults, face a record high 25.5 per cent unemployment rate.
While the government has taken unprecedented steps to try to turn the economy around, the number of jobs that are being cut from the economy easily overshadows any progress made. The new economy is not creating new jobs and that is a fact we are going to have to face as more Americans look for a job.
While the country debates a national health care bill, continues to debate the war in Iraq, and begins to worry about a larger intervention in a war in Afghanistan that many military officials say we cannot win, shouldn’t we be equally concerned about the growing unemployed workers in desperate need of a job?
Economists from the Federal Reserve Bank in Cleveland, trying to explain the current job market and the contradiction of the unemployment numbers from the last two months, are still baffled. Although job loses in July were less than June, the unemployment numbers still rose.
In the FoxBusiness Report, two economists try to explain what may be going on. “The sharp rise in unemployment that we have seen,” economists Murat Tasci and Kyle Fee wrote, “is not due primarily to a sharp rise in separations but rather to the fact that once unemployed, the chance of finding employment has fallen dramatically. This means that unemployment durations are getting longer.”
The long-term prognosis is that we may not see any substantial creation of the quality jobs the economy has lost. As the economy tries to rebound, we may just find ourselves lowering our standard of living because many quality jobs may be a thing of the past.
I trust someone high in the Obama Administration is developing an employment policy to address a very volatile unemployment situation. With thousands of homeless and jobless Americans joining the unemployment lines, this is not what many will consider a sound economic recovery.
Meanwhile, is anyone paying attention to the number of people reaching the point of desperation? What will become of the thousands of workers who, having exhausted their unemployment benefits, still cannot find full-time employment and face the dread and fear of losing their homes, cars, livelihoods, self-esteem and, ultimately, any vestige of the American Dream?
This column first appeared at www.latinolandscape.com
Fidel "Butch" Montoya is Director of H.S. Power and Light Ministries. He was the Vice President/News Director of KUSA Channel 9 News from 1985-1990, and worked as a broadcast journalist for 24 years. Montoya also served as Deputy Mayor of City and County of Denver from 1995-1999; as the Manager of Public Safety for the City and County of Denver from 1994-2000. Montoya was Licensed as a minister in 1972.
H. S. Power & Light Ministries - Latino Faith Initiative
One of the most frightening scenarios I envision for our country’s future results from the number of people who are standing in unemployment lines across our country without any prospect of finding a job, either full-time or part-time. Unemployment statistics keep rising with no end in sight. As politicians search for answers, the unemployment rate continues to escalate, this past month, creeping closer to 10%, the highest percentage in 26 years.
Many laid-off people are nearing the end of their government options for receiving unemployment benefits. Unemployed workers receive 26 weeks of unemployment benefits after losing their jobs. As an emergency measure, the government has added another 13 weeks in hopes that workers will find jobs during that period.
Unfortunately, the unemployment rate continues to inch up, with the last report from the government showing 9.7% of Americans are without jobs. In August, another 466,000 joined the 14.9 million Americans out of work. When you look at the number of companies still laying off employees, the future for many workers is bleak, even dire.
In Michigan, the unemployment rate is closer to 15% with the production of cars and trucks continuing to fall. Factories are shutting shut down due to poor car sales; others are running at less than their production capacity.
The government gimmick of “Cash for Clunkers” was a success; with most car dealers pleasantly surprised at the number of vehicles they ended up selling during the $3 billion dollar corporate welfare program. Consumers who traded in their “clunker” received a $4,500 rebate, and some dealers added another several thousand-dollar incentive to the government rebate, making it very attractive to junk their clunker.
“Cash for Clunkers” worked in adding 31,000 people to the job rolls. Unfortunately, now that the incentives are no longer in place, car buying is down as consumers are weary of buying big-ticket items again. Motor vehicle and parts companies lost 15,000 jobs in August.
With so many workers out of work and trying for the first time to reach unemployment offices to apply for unemployment benefits, they have encountered an uncaring bureaucracy that defies description.
In Colorado, where Don Mares is the Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, he has faced an avalanche of criticism and heat from frustrated jobless persons, frustrated by their attempts to get unemployment benefits either online or by telephone.
One caller wrote to 9News/NBC in Denver about her experience on the telephone: “I haven't been this frustrated in a LONG TIME. I've been trying to call over 100 times a day (at least) for over 2 weeks, but have called in off and on for longer than that. I've got kiddos that need food on the table and I'm running out of time to get the money rolling in. You would THINK that it being this big of a problem they would be open for longer hours AT LEAST, have the people that are working there take turns getting some OT, I'm sure their wallets could use it and then in turn more people would get processed and so they can have the money in their wallets for bills and food. This whole process is a DISGRACE!”
Similar stories are common around the country because state labor departments were simply not ready to address the tsunami of jobless workers seeking some sort of financial assistance.
In California, before an additional 1,650 new call takers came on board this spring, callers trying to find out information about unemployment benefits needed to dial the department a whopping 42 times to reach a person at the other end. What is even more astounding is that more than 85 per cent of the 50 million calls attempted in the month of January were turned away.
Even more overwhelming for unemployed Californians is that it still takes 17 calls to reach a live operator at the unemployment office. MercuryNews.com reports that nearly two-thirds of the 18.9 million calls made in July were rejected because the phone service was too busy. Talk about added frustration as desperate jobless workers just try to find answers from local government job agencies.
Just to give you an idea of the cost to states resulting from unemployment, consider what is happening in California. MercuryNews.com reports that the Employment Development Department says it has already distributed $12.5 billion in unemployment insurance benefits this year - 50 per cent more than the record $8.1 billion paid out in all of 2008. In addition, many people, because of federal extensions of unemployment benefits, are staying on state rolls longer than usual.
With many workers close to exhausting their unemployment benefits, workers have to turn to jobs where many are barely making the minimum wage. Even though these workers may want full-time jobs, having to settle for part-time work or jobs that they really don’t want or are trained for, puts them in a class of worker the government terms “underemployment.”
Another class of workers are “discouraged workers.” These are workers who give up seeking work because they believe no jobs are available to them. The Department of Labor is faced with a growing number of “discouraged workers.”
In a recent press release, the department issued some more bad news: “About 2.3 million persons were marginally attached to the labor force in August, reflecting an increase of 630,000 from a year earlier. (The data are not seasonally adjusted.) These individuals were not in the labor force, wanted and were available for work, and had looked for a job sometime in the prior 12 months. They were not counted as unemployed because they had not searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey.”
In other words, with unemployment benefits drying up, and workers not looking for work because in the prior 12 months they had been unable to find a job, many are cast aside hope of finding a job. With the economy still sputtering, the future is not looking very hopeful for many workers seeking employment.
What is equally troubling is the fact that the Department of Labor does not even count these indisputably unemployed people as “unemployed” because four weeks prior to the survey they had given up looking for work. So, instead of adding these thousands of workers to the unemployment rolls, it looks like the government has simply written them off like the banks have written off toxic assets or mortgages.
If only it were that easy to erase the number of Americans without work, but these jobless workers are still out there suffering the loss of self esteem, pride and professional networking, not to mention facing a future of hopelessness. In addition, the real issue we cannot overlook is that these workers without jobs are real people with real families and real needs.
These figures also do not reflect the millions who are working part-time jobs hoping to make up for hours cut back from their regular jobs, or working these jobs because they simply have been unable to land full-time jobs.
Can you believe millions of American workers are facing a future with little or no hope in the land of the free and home of the brave? That can’t be happening - or can it? Why is it that the billion dollar bail out in stimulus dollars no longer affect our economy? Where do jobless workers turn to when unemployment benefits run out and jobs are still unavailable?
Yet, we continue to hear the President and other government leaders say the worst of the down economy may be over and that things should be looking up. The recession, which is officially over one year old, is finally – maybe – hopefully – ending.
Even Colorado officials are saying that the Colorado job market is getting better without any significant increase in unemployment as one sign the market could be stabilizing. Hard to picture this employment environment so rosy when in 2008 the unemployment rate was 4.9%. Today, that unemployment rate is 7.8%!
Keep in mind that most of the unemployed workers who cannot find suitable jobs are used to working for a wage and living. They bought into the American Dream like the rest of us, and now find their dream turning into a nightmare. The question that lurks in the minds of many workers is, “Are we closer to the unemployment line than we care to think?”
These workers living the nightmare cannot make mortgage payments or pay their rent. In some cases, their cars are being reposed because of non-payment. Families who were used to a middle-class standard of living are now finding out that dreams alone do not foot the bills.
As more workers find they are unable to find employment, what is going to happen to thousands of families unable to meet their monthly payment obligations? As desperation begins to grow, what will become of these families as they discover that about the only alternative to not finding work may be homelessness? During the Great Depression, there were close to two million homeless families migrating across the country.
Those of us who have read John Steinbeck’s classic, “Of Mice and Men,” are familiar with the sad and desperate stories of the Great Depression. Many of us empathized with the lives of jobless workers who, out of anxiety and anguish, looked for any means to support their families.
While the President assures us that we are not headed to the Great Depression of 2009, one has to wonder about the jobless who cannot find work. Are they already facing their personal Great Depression?
Boyd Huppert, a reporter for KARE/NBC in Minneapolis, recently profiled workers at Checkers, a local popular fast-food hamburger joint. Huppert’s report demonstrated what this anemic economy is forcing workers to do survive the unprecedented “underemployment problem” facing our country.
What Huppert found was a mother lode of laid-off professionals now flipping burgers and frying French fries. He found homebuilders, a civil engineer, a former executive chef and an area manager for Walgreens among the workers in this hamburger joint. All barely working because - in spite of their years of experience and college degrees - this is the only work they could find.
What surprised Huppert was there were hundreds of others who wanted these jobs.
Huppert reported, “All of the workers with whom we talked at the Checkers were helpful, determined and happy to be employed, yet none of them were where they expected to be. You could go the [University of Minnesota] to study the way the economy is changing us – or you could stop for a burger and listen.”
The high unemployment rate hits minority groups and teenagers the hardest. Whites had an unemployment rate of 8.9 per cent, Latinos at 13 per cent, Blacks at 15.1 per cent, the highest it has been since 1986, and Asians at 7.5%. Teenagers, who generally worked some of the part-time jobs now taken by underemployed adults, face a record high 25.5 per cent unemployment rate.
While the government has taken unprecedented steps to try to turn the economy around, the number of jobs that are being cut from the economy easily overshadows any progress made. The new economy is not creating new jobs and that is a fact we are going to have to face as more Americans look for a job.
While the country debates a national health care bill, continues to debate the war in Iraq, and begins to worry about a larger intervention in a war in Afghanistan that many military officials say we cannot win, shouldn’t we be equally concerned about the growing unemployed workers in desperate need of a job?
Economists from the Federal Reserve Bank in Cleveland, trying to explain the current job market and the contradiction of the unemployment numbers from the last two months, are still baffled. Although job loses in July were less than June, the unemployment numbers still rose.
In the FoxBusiness Report, two economists try to explain what may be going on. “The sharp rise in unemployment that we have seen,” economists Murat Tasci and Kyle Fee wrote, “is not due primarily to a sharp rise in separations but rather to the fact that once unemployed, the chance of finding employment has fallen dramatically. This means that unemployment durations are getting longer.”
The long-term prognosis is that we may not see any substantial creation of the quality jobs the economy has lost. As the economy tries to rebound, we may just find ourselves lowering our standard of living because many quality jobs may be a thing of the past.
I trust someone high in the Obama Administration is developing an employment policy to address a very volatile unemployment situation. With thousands of homeless and jobless Americans joining the unemployment lines, this is not what many will consider a sound economic recovery.
Meanwhile, is anyone paying attention to the number of people reaching the point of desperation? What will become of the thousands of workers who, having exhausted their unemployment benefits, still cannot find full-time employment and face the dread and fear of losing their homes, cars, livelihoods, self-esteem and, ultimately, any vestige of the American Dream?
This column first appeared at www.latinolandscape.com
Fidel "Butch" Montoya is Director of H.S. Power and Light Ministries. He was the Vice President/News Director of KUSA Channel 9 News from 1985-1990, and worked as a broadcast journalist for 24 years. Montoya also served as Deputy Mayor of City and County of Denver from 1995-1999; as the Manager of Public Safety for the City and County of Denver from 1994-2000. Montoya was Licensed as a minister in 1972.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Health Care or Just More Headaches
By Fidel "Butch" Montoya
It is a shame that a full debate cannot take place on the different versions of the health care plan passed out of the committees in Congress without having to deal with all the gimmicks and chaos, and unfortunately, in some cases, violence.
I believe we need universal health care.It is unfortunate that the controversial details of the plan are not being taken seriously and, as a result, there have been no responses in a reasonable manner.
Many of the "lies" that are being spewed by many enraged and annoyed protestors still need answers, and the counter claims made by the proponents of the Obama care plan are just adding to the misinformation. As a result, we have seen this misinformation create more confusion, chaos and irritation in many of the Congressional town hall meetings.
For example, President Obama, at the AARP town meeting, claimed the national seniors organization had endorsed the health care plan. His press secretary, Robert Gibbs later had to explain that the president had “misspoke.”
In fact, AARP have not endorsed the Obama care plan and have serious questions that they want answered before endorsing the plan. Gibbs says the president “misspoke,” or is that a polite way of acknowledging that the president wasn’t telling the exact truth?
The reality is that the passion, anger and desire for change generated by candidate Obama has now become the hallmark of the opponents of the health plan. Community organizers have brought together crowds of people who are angry and fed up with government spending that has led to a record deficit.
Ironically, what worked for candidate Obama seems to be working for opponents of Obama care.
Mark Halperin, the editor-at-large and senior political analyst for Time magazine, has expressed what I believe to be what many protestors want in their calls for a full debate on the issue. Halperin wrote:
"Of course we want a full debate. Of course, we want people who have dissenting views from the administration and Congress to have a full hearing. However, that is not what this is about. That is not the intent of most of these people. It's not the way the press is covering it."
While I agree that perhaps some of the town hall protests may have been orchestrated, it is giving the extreme right wing of the Republicans far too much credit to think that they could organize the widespread concern and anger that people across this country are feeling.
I believe it comes back to the fact the health care plan is being rushed too quickly without taking the time to answer the questions - legitimate questions and concerns that people are asking.
The chaos and anger – all the shoving and shouting - have pushed aside the valid arguments and costs of the health care plan. It is practically impossible for issues related to the health care plan to receive a fair debate at this point. Too much bad blood is creating a deep rift between proponents and opponents of the health care plan.
Political pundits say that in 1994, when President Clinton proposed his health care plan, it was even more unpopular than the president's plan today.That is increasingly becoming hard to believe.
One of the biggest differences is that the Internet is playing a larger role in disseminating facts and "lies". Because the president’s staff and the Democratic leadership ignored and did not react responsibly and decisively to answer all questions and “lies” raised by opponents, we have found the value of the Internet has worked in the opponent’s favor.
Still, all of the turmoil and chaos of the town hall meetings does not take away from the fact that we need to have this health care debate. While the president will continue to push his health care plan, the debate cannot continue on this negative tone.It is unfortunate that we have found ourselves in a very bad place in our country.
There needs to be an open debate on "the president's plan". If the protesters have ideas, everyone needs to hear them. But if they're just stunts and gimmicks being used to cause disruption in order to get the media's attention, I believe their strategy in the long run is bad for the country, whether you want the president's plan or not.
What concerns me more than the present debate on health care is the fact that I believe the future debate on comprehensive immigration reform has been compromised.
The current atmosphere in our country has reached a real critical crisis point by the lack of civil debate and discourse. While some of the "actors of the health care debate" have disrupted the national debate, they have also empowered other opponents of the debate who had legitimate questions as well.
In fact, President Obama has gone back on his election promise to make comprehensive immigration reform a priority in the first year of his presidency. He now says the debate on immigration reform will not take place until sometime in 2010.
Other seemingly promising proponents of comprehensive immigration reform have also disappointed those of us expecting an end to the immigration stalemate with a Democratic president and Congress.
Senator Schumer of New York has become increasingly hostile and tough on those he now calls “illegal immigrants.” In order to look tougher on immigration reform, Schumer has used words generally reserved for right-wing extremists and opponents of immigration reform.
The president’s own Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, has even gone further by saying that reform may not be necessary at all. She went on to say a greater emphasis on enforcement would resolve many of the problems related to immigration reform. In fact, Homeland Security has continued to follow the mean-spirited polices of the Bush Administration, particularly when it come to raiding homes, place of employment and entertainment.
Unfortunate the angry and hateful tone of the health care debate has poisoned the water for future debate on immigration reform.
The outcome of the health care debate will determine whether future immigration reform will face a difficult and bumpy road when the debate starts on that controversial topic.
That debate will also depend on whether or not the anti-immigration forces take advantage of the turmoil and anger felt across our country, and use it to harness the unrest and chaos to their favor. I fear that a new chapter in civil disobedience and the lack of civility has entered a frightening stage in our country.
Regardless, the opportunity for passage of comprehensive immigration reform bill will become a difficult challenge in the future. It means we must be more vigilant as we move forward in our fight for justice and righteousness.
Unfortunately, what some pundits thought was the right time as far as passing new immigration reform – the present - will discover that it will not be easy to accomplish this time around.The ugly health care reform debate has hurt the chances for passage of immigration reform.
While we attempt to move forward with the health care debate and listen to the questions related to many of the contentious issues related to health care, and as we strive to work for consensus, let us pray that the national narrative will not continue in the same angry and mean-spirited tone poisoning today’s climate.
While it is critical that we find a way to create a health care plan that serves the needs of every American, we must work together.
We also need to change the tone and temperament of this current debate so that any future debates on issues of concern to our country – including immigration reform - can take place without all of the turmoil and chaos brought about by the present health care debate and debacle.
It is time for both liberals and the conservatives to realize their tricks-of-the-trade are causing what many consider a serious division in our country that will not be so easy to navigate and correct.
The time for bickering is over. Can we all just get along?
****************************
This column first appeared at www.latinolandscape.com
Fidel "Butch" Montoya is Director of H.S. Power and Light Ministries. He was the Vice President/News Director of KUSA Channel 9 News from 1985-1990, and worked as a broadcast journalist for 24 years. Montoya also served as Deputy Mayor of City and County of Denver from 1995-1999; as the Manager of Public Safety for the City and County of Denver from 1994-2000. Montoya was Licensed as a minister in 1972.
It is a shame that a full debate cannot take place on the different versions of the health care plan passed out of the committees in Congress without having to deal with all the gimmicks and chaos, and unfortunately, in some cases, violence.
I believe we need universal health care.It is unfortunate that the controversial details of the plan are not being taken seriously and, as a result, there have been no responses in a reasonable manner.
Many of the "lies" that are being spewed by many enraged and annoyed protestors still need answers, and the counter claims made by the proponents of the Obama care plan are just adding to the misinformation. As a result, we have seen this misinformation create more confusion, chaos and irritation in many of the Congressional town hall meetings.
For example, President Obama, at the AARP town meeting, claimed the national seniors organization had endorsed the health care plan. His press secretary, Robert Gibbs later had to explain that the president had “misspoke.”
In fact, AARP have not endorsed the Obama care plan and have serious questions that they want answered before endorsing the plan. Gibbs says the president “misspoke,” or is that a polite way of acknowledging that the president wasn’t telling the exact truth?
The reality is that the passion, anger and desire for change generated by candidate Obama has now become the hallmark of the opponents of the health plan. Community organizers have brought together crowds of people who are angry and fed up with government spending that has led to a record deficit.
Ironically, what worked for candidate Obama seems to be working for opponents of Obama care.
Mark Halperin, the editor-at-large and senior political analyst for Time magazine, has expressed what I believe to be what many protestors want in their calls for a full debate on the issue. Halperin wrote:
"Of course we want a full debate. Of course, we want people who have dissenting views from the administration and Congress to have a full hearing. However, that is not what this is about. That is not the intent of most of these people. It's not the way the press is covering it."
While I agree that perhaps some of the town hall protests may have been orchestrated, it is giving the extreme right wing of the Republicans far too much credit to think that they could organize the widespread concern and anger that people across this country are feeling.
I believe it comes back to the fact the health care plan is being rushed too quickly without taking the time to answer the questions - legitimate questions and concerns that people are asking.
The chaos and anger – all the shoving and shouting - have pushed aside the valid arguments and costs of the health care plan. It is practically impossible for issues related to the health care plan to receive a fair debate at this point. Too much bad blood is creating a deep rift between proponents and opponents of the health care plan.
Political pundits say that in 1994, when President Clinton proposed his health care plan, it was even more unpopular than the president's plan today.That is increasingly becoming hard to believe.
One of the biggest differences is that the Internet is playing a larger role in disseminating facts and "lies". Because the president’s staff and the Democratic leadership ignored and did not react responsibly and decisively to answer all questions and “lies” raised by opponents, we have found the value of the Internet has worked in the opponent’s favor.
Still, all of the turmoil and chaos of the town hall meetings does not take away from the fact that we need to have this health care debate. While the president will continue to push his health care plan, the debate cannot continue on this negative tone.It is unfortunate that we have found ourselves in a very bad place in our country.
There needs to be an open debate on "the president's plan". If the protesters have ideas, everyone needs to hear them. But if they're just stunts and gimmicks being used to cause disruption in order to get the media's attention, I believe their strategy in the long run is bad for the country, whether you want the president's plan or not.
What concerns me more than the present debate on health care is the fact that I believe the future debate on comprehensive immigration reform has been compromised.
The current atmosphere in our country has reached a real critical crisis point by the lack of civil debate and discourse. While some of the "actors of the health care debate" have disrupted the national debate, they have also empowered other opponents of the debate who had legitimate questions as well.
In fact, President Obama has gone back on his election promise to make comprehensive immigration reform a priority in the first year of his presidency. He now says the debate on immigration reform will not take place until sometime in 2010.
Other seemingly promising proponents of comprehensive immigration reform have also disappointed those of us expecting an end to the immigration stalemate with a Democratic president and Congress.
Senator Schumer of New York has become increasingly hostile and tough on those he now calls “illegal immigrants.” In order to look tougher on immigration reform, Schumer has used words generally reserved for right-wing extremists and opponents of immigration reform.
The president’s own Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, has even gone further by saying that reform may not be necessary at all. She went on to say a greater emphasis on enforcement would resolve many of the problems related to immigration reform. In fact, Homeland Security has continued to follow the mean-spirited polices of the Bush Administration, particularly when it come to raiding homes, place of employment and entertainment.
Unfortunate the angry and hateful tone of the health care debate has poisoned the water for future debate on immigration reform.
The outcome of the health care debate will determine whether future immigration reform will face a difficult and bumpy road when the debate starts on that controversial topic.
That debate will also depend on whether or not the anti-immigration forces take advantage of the turmoil and anger felt across our country, and use it to harness the unrest and chaos to their favor. I fear that a new chapter in civil disobedience and the lack of civility has entered a frightening stage in our country.
Regardless, the opportunity for passage of comprehensive immigration reform bill will become a difficult challenge in the future. It means we must be more vigilant as we move forward in our fight for justice and righteousness.
Unfortunately, what some pundits thought was the right time as far as passing new immigration reform – the present - will discover that it will not be easy to accomplish this time around.The ugly health care reform debate has hurt the chances for passage of immigration reform.
While we attempt to move forward with the health care debate and listen to the questions related to many of the contentious issues related to health care, and as we strive to work for consensus, let us pray that the national narrative will not continue in the same angry and mean-spirited tone poisoning today’s climate.
While it is critical that we find a way to create a health care plan that serves the needs of every American, we must work together.
We also need to change the tone and temperament of this current debate so that any future debates on issues of concern to our country – including immigration reform - can take place without all of the turmoil and chaos brought about by the present health care debate and debacle.
It is time for both liberals and the conservatives to realize their tricks-of-the-trade are causing what many consider a serious division in our country that will not be so easy to navigate and correct.
The time for bickering is over. Can we all just get along?
****************************
This column first appeared at www.latinolandscape.com
Fidel "Butch" Montoya is Director of H.S. Power and Light Ministries. He was the Vice President/News Director of KUSA Channel 9 News from 1985-1990, and worked as a broadcast journalist for 24 years. Montoya also served as Deputy Mayor of City and County of Denver from 1995-1999; as the Manager of Public Safety for the City and County of Denver from 1994-2000. Montoya was Licensed as a minister in 1972.
The American stripes and "patriotic" vigilantes: Red, white and blue in the face
By Fidel “Butch” Montoya
Hate crimes are among the most hideous and hurtful crimes committed against any group of people. Beyond the physical injuries, hate also affects us emotionally and can damage our psyche for years. committed
Over the years, we have seen and heard of these crimes being against certain groups of people, and we have seen a quick and direct response against those who have committed hate crimes. In the past, America always had a scapegoat and someone that was intimidated and destroyed by hate.
When Matthew Shepherd was brutally attacked and left to die on some fence on a lonely prairie road in Wyoming, there seemed to be universal shock and disbelief. Wyoming always reflected the Old West and the values of the past encouraged by Manifest Destiny – white entitlement at all cost. So there in the middle of nowhere, Shepherd hung on that old fence as if he were a scarecrow, which is what his rescuers initially thought he was when discovering him.
After being coerced by two bar acquaintances to drink and then leave with the two men, they violently turned on the young man for being gay and murdered him for his wallet and money. Shepherd's brutal murder became one of the most famous hate crime deaths leading to movies, marches, protests, and a new effort by the gay community to make more people aware of hate crimes against gays.
We have heard the stories of how innocent blacks had to face hate, disrespect and death when many were hung from trees like common criminals just because whites hated black people. There is no question; this brutal and hateful period of history in this country is something we must constantly be vigilant. And we must rally against the violent hate crimes committed against black men and women in our country.
At the turn of the century, Bishop Henry M. Turner was able to express the uncertainty, the fear,and determination felt by many Blacks. "We were born here, raised here, bled and died here, and have a thousand times more right here than hundred of thousands of those who help to snub, proscribe, and persecute us, and that is one of the reasons I almost despise the land of my birth."
It is shameful that our society and federal government allowed the people who were responsible for these hate crimes to go in many cases unpunished and, in some cases, protected by the law.
It is time that Americans awake from their false sense of security and the false impressions we have created about racism and bigotry not being a problem in our country. Many citizens fail to understand that right now in our country, innocent men and women are being becoming the victims of rape, beatings and murder. While we whistle "Dixie," across our country more and more hate crimes driven by racism and bigotry are listed on the daily police log.
Today, the victims of violent hate crimes are Latinos and Spanish-speaking immigrants who, in many of the cases, were simply minding their own business. Brown people are now targeted by some Americans you would never dream would be responsible for such ugly and demeaning stalking and murders. It is time we all take notice of these hate crimes being committed in our country and realize it us up to us to stop this violence in our community.
It is inexcusable that other groups that have been victims of hate crimes remain silent or seemingly unwilling to voice their condemnation of other people being murdered, injured or having to live with hateful and difficult memories of being beaten, stalked, harassed, cursed for being "Mexican" or for speaking Spanish.
It appears that most Americans seem unaware of the hate crimes being committed or, if they are aware, turn a deaf ear and close their eyes to the heinous and vicious pictures and video displaying the hateful and evil-spirited acts of violence.
In his book, "Faces at the Bottom of the Well," Professor Derrick Bell writes about the history of persecution endured by blacks. Professor Bell's book has shaken the very foundation of our beliefs. He observes, "Many people will find it difficult to embrace my assumption that racism is a permanent component of American life."
One of the most heinous crimes against humankind was when several white teenagers brutally beat Luis Ramirez in Shenandoah, Pa. He was brutally beat to death because he was a Mexican immigrant. The white teenage boys harassed Luis for being "Mexican" and for having a white girl friend.
Ramirez attempted to walk away from the scene, not wanting to fight back. As Ramirez and his girl friend tried to get away, he was followed and beaten by the white teenagers. During the beating, Ramirez fell to the ground, then curled up as he tried to protect himself. His assailants continued kicking while he cowered on the ground. One of the teenagers viciously kicked Ramirez in the head, and it was obvious the three "good American boys" did feel any remorse or guilt.
Ramirez later died at the hospital of a severe head injury. What was his crime? Apparently, many of the good people of Shenandoah, Pa. believe being "brown" is reason to harass and kill.
Moreover, what did our criminal justice system do to provide justice to the loved ones of Ramirez? For one thing, police only called it a fight even though a person was killed.
The Morning Call.com, a local newspaper published an op-ed piece by The Rev Nelson Quinones, pastor at Christ Lutheran Church in Easton, in which he wrote:
"The charges the Shenandoah jury dropped were third-degree murder, voluntary and involuntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, assault with a deadly weapon, and ethnic intimidation. The jury found the teens guilty of simple assault, furnishing alcohol to minors, corruption of minors, and purchase and consumption of alcohol. The Latino population is under attack by hate-mongers. Yet the Latino community is portrayed as prospective attackers. To add insult to injury, this is after a Mexican immigrant was beaten to death. Who is the victim? In Shenandoah, Latinos are hiding from the police, who appear to have failed them."
We have seen the hateful conduct by the Maricopa County Sherriff in Arizona against undocumented Mexican immigrants and Latino American citizens. In Sheriff Arpaio's federally granted authority, he believes he has the right to harass and detain any person who may look like an undocumented immigrant.
The reality is that you and I could be walking down the streets of Maricopa County minding our own business, innocent of any crime, but stopped and jailed for not having the correct documentation showing our citizenship to the USA.
I ask you, how many Americans actually carry their passports as proof of citizenship? Yet, this is what is required by the good Sheriff Arpaio if you do not have any other picture ID documentation showing that you are a legal person in our country.
A few months ago, a group on a church men's retreat in another part of Arizona, assembled in a state park, was detained and eventually some of the men were jailed and deported.
Their crime? Creating a public nuisance for singing and praying while preparing breakfast for the group. They were cited for disturbing the peace and the sheriff's department was called to put an end to this peaceful right of assembly. Their songs or prayers were not so loud as to create a public nuisance. The pastor of the group was put in jail for several weeks until he could get his documentation in order. Innocent, but guilty of being brown in Arizona.
A month or so ago we witnessed another ugly and disgusting double murder committed by a group of armed men and women. They ended up killing nine-year-old Brisenia Flores and her father Raul Junior Flores in Arivaca, Ariz.
The vigilantes who took the law into their own hands were Minutemen, members of a "civilian defense corps" that harasses undocumented immigrants along the U.S.-Mexico border. Brisenia's mother was also shot and severely injured in the shooting. Police suspect the "minutemen vigilantes" intended to leave no witness behind.
The Flores' crime? Being brown in Arizona. It appears these members of the Minutemen, dressed as law enforcement officers, busted down the door of the house where the Flores lived. Shawna Forde, a highly influential member of the Minutemen and advocate for the Minutemen movement, felt she and her cohorts could kill this family simply because they needed money and drugs to finance their efforts to "guard the border."
What is so hideous about this crime is that they actually felt they could get away with taking the law into their own hands and murdering any member of the Flores family who got in their way.
The Department of Homeland Security recently released a report on right-wing extremists like Forde's group who have the power to incite other right-wing groups to violence. Of course, right-wing politicians and pundits, to mention the Minutemen, condemned the report.
Pima Country Sheriff Clarence Dupnik was appalled at the Flores crime scene where the family were ruthlessly murdered. "This was a planned home invasion where the plan was to kill all the people inside this trailer so there would be no witnesses. To just kill a nine-year-old girl because she might be a potential witness to me is just one of the most despicable acts that I have heard of."
It is time that these hate crimes against Latinos be stopped. We can no longer sit on the sidelines and not do anything about the murders callously committed by right wing extremists.
Like so many other problems in our country, we must raise awareness of these crimes, and do whatever we can to curtail the belief that some people they have to kill Latinos. It is inexcusable to allow this climate of fear and murder to exist in neighborhoods across the nation.
Perhaps Pastor Quinones said it best. He stated, "The reality is Hispanics are living in panic. Mothers tell their children not to speak Spanish on their way to school," he stated. "Fathers instruct their sons not to wear baseball caps that bear national symbols or t-shirts with a flag. Overall, parents are encouraging their children to walk in pairs. No one should be a straggler. Get home quickly."
Yes, it is time we got home quickly, and safely. But before we do, we must raise up in righteous anger, and stop the violence against our community.
America, where is your indignation against violence toward "brown people?"
****************************
This column first appeared at www.latinolandscape.com
Fidel "Butch" Montoya is Director of H.S. Power and Light Ministries. He was the Vice President/News Director of KUSA Channel 9 News from 1985-1990, and worked at the news station for 24 years. Montoya also served as Deputy Mayor of City and County of Denver from 1995-1999; as the Manager of Public Safety for the City and County of Denver from 1994-2000. Montoya was Licensed as a Minister in 1972.
Hate crimes are among the most hideous and hurtful crimes committed against any group of people. Beyond the physical injuries, hate also affects us emotionally and can damage our psyche for years. committed
Over the years, we have seen and heard of these crimes being against certain groups of people, and we have seen a quick and direct response against those who have committed hate crimes. In the past, America always had a scapegoat and someone that was intimidated and destroyed by hate.
When Matthew Shepherd was brutally attacked and left to die on some fence on a lonely prairie road in Wyoming, there seemed to be universal shock and disbelief. Wyoming always reflected the Old West and the values of the past encouraged by Manifest Destiny – white entitlement at all cost. So there in the middle of nowhere, Shepherd hung on that old fence as if he were a scarecrow, which is what his rescuers initially thought he was when discovering him.
After being coerced by two bar acquaintances to drink and then leave with the two men, they violently turned on the young man for being gay and murdered him for his wallet and money. Shepherd's brutal murder became one of the most famous hate crime deaths leading to movies, marches, protests, and a new effort by the gay community to make more people aware of hate crimes against gays.
We have heard the stories of how innocent blacks had to face hate, disrespect and death when many were hung from trees like common criminals just because whites hated black people. There is no question; this brutal and hateful period of history in this country is something we must constantly be vigilant. And we must rally against the violent hate crimes committed against black men and women in our country.
At the turn of the century, Bishop Henry M. Turner was able to express the uncertainty, the fear,and determination felt by many Blacks. "We were born here, raised here, bled and died here, and have a thousand times more right here than hundred of thousands of those who help to snub, proscribe, and persecute us, and that is one of the reasons I almost despise the land of my birth."
It is shameful that our society and federal government allowed the people who were responsible for these hate crimes to go in many cases unpunished and, in some cases, protected by the law.
It is time that Americans awake from their false sense of security and the false impressions we have created about racism and bigotry not being a problem in our country. Many citizens fail to understand that right now in our country, innocent men and women are being becoming the victims of rape, beatings and murder. While we whistle "Dixie," across our country more and more hate crimes driven by racism and bigotry are listed on the daily police log.
Today, the victims of violent hate crimes are Latinos and Spanish-speaking immigrants who, in many of the cases, were simply minding their own business. Brown people are now targeted by some Americans you would never dream would be responsible for such ugly and demeaning stalking and murders. It is time we all take notice of these hate crimes being committed in our country and realize it us up to us to stop this violence in our community.
It is inexcusable that other groups that have been victims of hate crimes remain silent or seemingly unwilling to voice their condemnation of other people being murdered, injured or having to live with hateful and difficult memories of being beaten, stalked, harassed, cursed for being "Mexican" or for speaking Spanish.
It appears that most Americans seem unaware of the hate crimes being committed or, if they are aware, turn a deaf ear and close their eyes to the heinous and vicious pictures and video displaying the hateful and evil-spirited acts of violence.
In his book, "Faces at the Bottom of the Well," Professor Derrick Bell writes about the history of persecution endured by blacks. Professor Bell's book has shaken the very foundation of our beliefs. He observes, "Many people will find it difficult to embrace my assumption that racism is a permanent component of American life."
One of the most heinous crimes against humankind was when several white teenagers brutally beat Luis Ramirez in Shenandoah, Pa. He was brutally beat to death because he was a Mexican immigrant. The white teenage boys harassed Luis for being "Mexican" and for having a white girl friend.
Ramirez attempted to walk away from the scene, not wanting to fight back. As Ramirez and his girl friend tried to get away, he was followed and beaten by the white teenagers. During the beating, Ramirez fell to the ground, then curled up as he tried to protect himself. His assailants continued kicking while he cowered on the ground. One of the teenagers viciously kicked Ramirez in the head, and it was obvious the three "good American boys" did feel any remorse or guilt.
Ramirez later died at the hospital of a severe head injury. What was his crime? Apparently, many of the good people of Shenandoah, Pa. believe being "brown" is reason to harass and kill.
Moreover, what did our criminal justice system do to provide justice to the loved ones of Ramirez? For one thing, police only called it a fight even though a person was killed.
The Morning Call.com, a local newspaper published an op-ed piece by The Rev Nelson Quinones, pastor at Christ Lutheran Church in Easton, in which he wrote:
"The charges the Shenandoah jury dropped were third-degree murder, voluntary and involuntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, assault with a deadly weapon, and ethnic intimidation. The jury found the teens guilty of simple assault, furnishing alcohol to minors, corruption of minors, and purchase and consumption of alcohol. The Latino population is under attack by hate-mongers. Yet the Latino community is portrayed as prospective attackers. To add insult to injury, this is after a Mexican immigrant was beaten to death. Who is the victim? In Shenandoah, Latinos are hiding from the police, who appear to have failed them."
We have seen the hateful conduct by the Maricopa County Sherriff in Arizona against undocumented Mexican immigrants and Latino American citizens. In Sheriff Arpaio's federally granted authority, he believes he has the right to harass and detain any person who may look like an undocumented immigrant.
The reality is that you and I could be walking down the streets of Maricopa County minding our own business, innocent of any crime, but stopped and jailed for not having the correct documentation showing our citizenship to the USA.
I ask you, how many Americans actually carry their passports as proof of citizenship? Yet, this is what is required by the good Sheriff Arpaio if you do not have any other picture ID documentation showing that you are a legal person in our country.
A few months ago, a group on a church men's retreat in another part of Arizona, assembled in a state park, was detained and eventually some of the men were jailed and deported.
Their crime? Creating a public nuisance for singing and praying while preparing breakfast for the group. They were cited for disturbing the peace and the sheriff's department was called to put an end to this peaceful right of assembly. Their songs or prayers were not so loud as to create a public nuisance. The pastor of the group was put in jail for several weeks until he could get his documentation in order. Innocent, but guilty of being brown in Arizona.
A month or so ago we witnessed another ugly and disgusting double murder committed by a group of armed men and women. They ended up killing nine-year-old Brisenia Flores and her father Raul Junior Flores in Arivaca, Ariz.
The vigilantes who took the law into their own hands were Minutemen, members of a "civilian defense corps" that harasses undocumented immigrants along the U.S.-Mexico border. Brisenia's mother was also shot and severely injured in the shooting. Police suspect the "minutemen vigilantes" intended to leave no witness behind.
The Flores' crime? Being brown in Arizona. It appears these members of the Minutemen, dressed as law enforcement officers, busted down the door of the house where the Flores lived. Shawna Forde, a highly influential member of the Minutemen and advocate for the Minutemen movement, felt she and her cohorts could kill this family simply because they needed money and drugs to finance their efforts to "guard the border."
What is so hideous about this crime is that they actually felt they could get away with taking the law into their own hands and murdering any member of the Flores family who got in their way.
The Department of Homeland Security recently released a report on right-wing extremists like Forde's group who have the power to incite other right-wing groups to violence. Of course, right-wing politicians and pundits, to mention the Minutemen, condemned the report.
Pima Country Sheriff Clarence Dupnik was appalled at the Flores crime scene where the family were ruthlessly murdered. "This was a planned home invasion where the plan was to kill all the people inside this trailer so there would be no witnesses. To just kill a nine-year-old girl because she might be a potential witness to me is just one of the most despicable acts that I have heard of."
It is time that these hate crimes against Latinos be stopped. We can no longer sit on the sidelines and not do anything about the murders callously committed by right wing extremists.
Like so many other problems in our country, we must raise awareness of these crimes, and do whatever we can to curtail the belief that some people they have to kill Latinos. It is inexcusable to allow this climate of fear and murder to exist in neighborhoods across the nation.
Perhaps Pastor Quinones said it best. He stated, "The reality is Hispanics are living in panic. Mothers tell their children not to speak Spanish on their way to school," he stated. "Fathers instruct their sons not to wear baseball caps that bear national symbols or t-shirts with a flag. Overall, parents are encouraging their children to walk in pairs. No one should be a straggler. Get home quickly."
Yes, it is time we got home quickly, and safely. But before we do, we must raise up in righteous anger, and stop the violence against our community.
America, where is your indignation against violence toward "brown people?"
****************************
This column first appeared at www.latinolandscape.com
Fidel "Butch" Montoya is Director of H.S. Power and Light Ministries. He was the Vice President/News Director of KUSA Channel 9 News from 1985-1990, and worked at the news station for 24 years. Montoya also served as Deputy Mayor of City and County of Denver from 1995-1999; as the Manager of Public Safety for the City and County of Denver from 1994-2000. Montoya was Licensed as a Minister in 1972.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Conservative cries of racism: Who is really racist?
By Fidel "Butch" Montoya
The historic nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor as the first member of our community for the Supreme Court has created a groundswell of support for her nomination. President Barack Obama made the decision to nominate Sotomayor based on her qualifications and the "empathy" she would bring to the Court. The President said, "Sotomayor would bring more experience on the bench than anyone currently serving on the Supreme Court when appointed."
Judge Sotomayor is living the American Dream. Raised in the South Bronx in New York City, she typifies the expectations of every Latino family to work hard and expect success to follow. In Sotomayor's case, she grew up in a public housing project after her parents moved from Puerto Rico. Her parents, like so many other Latino parents, came from humble beginnings. And, like so many other Latino parents, harbored dreams of success for their children.
A poll by the Los Angeles Times says 54 per cent of Americans support her nomination to the Supreme Court. 28 per cent oppose her nomination, and a sizable group of 19 per cent had no opinion. Clearly, the majority of Americans believe she is an excellent choice to serve on the Supreme Court.
While a solid majority of Democrats and Independents support her nomination, 57 per cent of Republicans do not. It should not be surprising to read that Republicans do not support her nomination. After all, the GOP "has been" leaders have shown no shame in calling Sotomayor a "racist," or "Hey, Hispanic chick lady," as FoxNews commentator Glen Beck called her. He went on further trying to justify his remarks by saying, "Gee, she sure sounds like a racist here. Do you think she is a racist?" Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich has blasted her as "unqualified," and as a "Latina woman racist."
However, the most telling negative comments from Republicans came from anti-immigrant crusader, Tom Tancredo. Of all people to call Sotomayor a "racist," America's most publicized bigot and racist has the gall to speak out against her because he disagrees with her because, I assume, she is a Latina.
Right-wing TV mudslinger Pat Buchanan claims that Sotomayor is an "affirmative action candidate." He, along with Fred Barnes of the Weekly Standard, believes she "has benefited from affirmative action over the years tremendously."
Tancredo also had the temerity to claim that Sotomayor is a member of an extremist group called "La Raza." Of course, he was referring to the National Council of La Raza, which he called "a Latino KKK without the hoods or nooses."
As you may know, the NCLR is one of the most respected civil rights Latino organizations along with the Mexican America Legal Defense and Education Fund.
Believe it or not, here is America's Most Wanted Racist calling Sotomayor a "racist." Tancredo, who has no shame, confirmed with his mean-spirited comments what a lot of us long have suspected - he is a man who has lost all of his marbles.
The highly controversial right-wing radioman, otherwise known as the cigar smoking Rush Limbaugh, has used his national radio program to fire up the Republican base to oppose her nomination by using the "R word" again. He said, "Here you have a racist."
Limbaugh didn't stop with that incendiary statement. "Do I want her to fail? Yeah. Do I want her to fail to get on the Court? Yeah, she would be a disaster on the Court." He also said, "Now you have one appointed to the Supreme Court." (Limbaugh was referring to his comments in which he called Obama "the greatest living example of a reverse racist.")
It is a sorry state of affairs when every right-wing pundit is trying to outdo each other with who can find the most ugly and hateful words to demean the years of experience Sotomayor has as a federal judge.
With 17 years on the federal bench, she is obviously the most experienced person nominated to the Supreme Court in at least 100 years. Sotomayor deserves to be confirmed by the Senate. In spite of the foul-mouthed Gingrich, Limbaugh, Beck, Buchanan, Barnes and Hannity (people Fiaz Shakir calls, "right-wing hate merchants," in his blog on AlterNet), Sotomayor will be confirmed.
The conservative cadre claims Sotomayor will allow her Latina heritage and life experiences to tip the scales of justice unfairly as a member of the Supreme Court. That claim stems from a comment that Sotomayor made at the UC Berkeley School of Law annual symposium co-hosted by the La Raza Law Journal, and Berkeley La Raza Law Student Association at UC Berkeley School of Law back in 2001.
Sotomayor said, "I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life." This comment is probably the biggest reason for the firestorm of criticism from the right wing pundits and politicians.
The cultural reality and a proposition that many majority Americans cannot accept is the fact that our cultural heritage and upbringing does bear on our values and opinions. I believe it is important to put that "damning comment" made by Sotomayor at the law symposium in perspective. Something the blind and deaf right-wing of the Republican Party either cannot see or simply fails to understand.
During her presentation at the law symposium, Sotomayor further clarified her opinion that gender or cultural backgrounds can and will affect decisions that judges must make.
Sotomayor explained, "Hence, one must accept the proposition that a difference there will be by the presence of women and people of color on the bench. Personal experiences affect the facts that judges choose to see. My hope is that I will take the good from my experiences and extrapolate them further into areas with which I am unfamiliar. I simply do not know exactly what that difference will be in my judging. But I accept there will be some based on my gender and my Latina heritage."
I believe that because of our cultural upbringing and life experiences, we may see issues differently based on our life perspectives. I also believe Sotomayor will bring that "empathy" to the Supreme Court and, as a result, ensure that justice is shared with all who bring their grievances to the court.
Still, as we journey through life, we will have to deal with people, who because of their lack of cultural sensitivity and ignorance of life equity issues, will always make fools of themselves. If Tancredo knew of the work of the National Council of La Raza, he would never even consider or compare the KKK to the NCLR.
If he understood the significance that the NCLR has in our Latino community as a strong voice of equity and civil rights, he would agree that his racist comments have only given us reason to doubt that he has all of America in mind when he claims to work on issues affecting the citizens of our country.
Obama, Sotomayor, and the Democratic Party leadership work to keep the debate about the real issues for confirmation and not the wedge issues continually pushed in our faces by the GOP choir of xenophobia and intolerance.
It is interesting to note that Newt Gingrich finally backed away from his initial reaction to the nomination of Sotomayor and apologized, saying that his reaction was "perhaps too strong and too direct. The sentiment struck me as racist and I said so." Gingrich went on to say, "The word 'racist' should not have been applied to Judge Sotomayor as a person, even if her words themselves are unacceptable."
Now from one extreme to the other in the Sotomayor debate is the matter of the Tancredo interview on CNN where he called Sotomayor a "racist," and NCLR as the "Latino KKK."
The Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) is demanding that CNN, which carried the Tancredo interview with reporter Rick Sanchez, denounce the Tancredo remarks. It is also demanding that CNN refrain from "providing a forum for pundits that consistently disparage the Latino community."
Additionally, MALDEF and NCLR are collecting petitions to send to CNN, reflecting their concerns and outlining their demands. MALDEF laid out their position in a press release. "MALDEF will not stand by and watch as Tancredo attempts to smear the reputation of one of the nation's distinguished federal jurists with false claims and misinformation."
Talking about false claims and misinformation, this attempt to muzzle CNN is simply wrong. While there is no way I could endorse what Tancredo said in his interview, MALDEF and NCLR are reacting like the rightwing extremists Gingrich and Limbaugh. They are coming up with a ridiculous attempt to censure people with different opinions and their right of free speech.
I wonder if along with his apology, Gingrich also volunteered to do some community service for the Latino community. If so, I am wondering if he did not volunteer his time as a news pundit to assist MALDEF and NCLR with their silly complaint about CNN.
That is about the only way I can understand why MALDEF and NCLR would demand an apology from CNN because the network aired Tancredo's comments about Sotomayor. By asking people to sign on to their Internet petition, they have successfully diverted the debate about Sotomayor's qualifications to a wedge issue of free speech.
Perhaps the headman from Venezuela, President Hugo Chavez, offered some of his personal advice as well since he is so good at shutting down any news organization that criticizes his government for corruption.
At any rate, let's forget about the questionable petitions criticizing a national cable news channel for doing their job for presenting a diversity of opinions and ideas and let us keep the debate on ensuring that Judge Sonia Sotomayor becomes the first Latina Supreme Court Justice.
*******************************
Fidel "Butch" Montoya is Director of H.S. Power and Light Ministries. He was the Vice President/News Director of KUSA Channel 9 News from 1985-1990, and worked at the news station for 24 years. Montoya also served as Deputy Mayor of City and County of Denver from 1995-1999; as the Manager of Public Safety for the City and County of Denver from 1994-2000. Montoya was Licensed to preach in 1972.
This article previously was posted at Latino Landscape -
http://www.latinolandscape.com/
The historic nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor as the first member of our community for the Supreme Court has created a groundswell of support for her nomination. President Barack Obama made the decision to nominate Sotomayor based on her qualifications and the "empathy" she would bring to the Court. The President said, "Sotomayor would bring more experience on the bench than anyone currently serving on the Supreme Court when appointed."
Judge Sotomayor is living the American Dream. Raised in the South Bronx in New York City, she typifies the expectations of every Latino family to work hard and expect success to follow. In Sotomayor's case, she grew up in a public housing project after her parents moved from Puerto Rico. Her parents, like so many other Latino parents, came from humble beginnings. And, like so many other Latino parents, harbored dreams of success for their children.
A poll by the Los Angeles Times says 54 per cent of Americans support her nomination to the Supreme Court. 28 per cent oppose her nomination, and a sizable group of 19 per cent had no opinion. Clearly, the majority of Americans believe she is an excellent choice to serve on the Supreme Court.
While a solid majority of Democrats and Independents support her nomination, 57 per cent of Republicans do not. It should not be surprising to read that Republicans do not support her nomination. After all, the GOP "has been" leaders have shown no shame in calling Sotomayor a "racist," or "Hey, Hispanic chick lady," as FoxNews commentator Glen Beck called her. He went on further trying to justify his remarks by saying, "Gee, she sure sounds like a racist here. Do you think she is a racist?" Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich has blasted her as "unqualified," and as a "Latina woman racist."
However, the most telling negative comments from Republicans came from anti-immigrant crusader, Tom Tancredo. Of all people to call Sotomayor a "racist," America's most publicized bigot and racist has the gall to speak out against her because he disagrees with her because, I assume, she is a Latina.
Right-wing TV mudslinger Pat Buchanan claims that Sotomayor is an "affirmative action candidate." He, along with Fred Barnes of the Weekly Standard, believes she "has benefited from affirmative action over the years tremendously."
Tancredo also had the temerity to claim that Sotomayor is a member of an extremist group called "La Raza." Of course, he was referring to the National Council of La Raza, which he called "a Latino KKK without the hoods or nooses."
As you may know, the NCLR is one of the most respected civil rights Latino organizations along with the Mexican America Legal Defense and Education Fund.
Believe it or not, here is America's Most Wanted Racist calling Sotomayor a "racist." Tancredo, who has no shame, confirmed with his mean-spirited comments what a lot of us long have suspected - he is a man who has lost all of his marbles.
The highly controversial right-wing radioman, otherwise known as the cigar smoking Rush Limbaugh, has used his national radio program to fire up the Republican base to oppose her nomination by using the "R word" again. He said, "Here you have a racist."
Limbaugh didn't stop with that incendiary statement. "Do I want her to fail? Yeah. Do I want her to fail to get on the Court? Yeah, she would be a disaster on the Court." He also said, "Now you have one appointed to the Supreme Court." (Limbaugh was referring to his comments in which he called Obama "the greatest living example of a reverse racist.")
It is a sorry state of affairs when every right-wing pundit is trying to outdo each other with who can find the most ugly and hateful words to demean the years of experience Sotomayor has as a federal judge.
With 17 years on the federal bench, she is obviously the most experienced person nominated to the Supreme Court in at least 100 years. Sotomayor deserves to be confirmed by the Senate. In spite of the foul-mouthed Gingrich, Limbaugh, Beck, Buchanan, Barnes and Hannity (people Fiaz Shakir calls, "right-wing hate merchants," in his blog on AlterNet), Sotomayor will be confirmed.
The conservative cadre claims Sotomayor will allow her Latina heritage and life experiences to tip the scales of justice unfairly as a member of the Supreme Court. That claim stems from a comment that Sotomayor made at the UC Berkeley School of Law annual symposium co-hosted by the La Raza Law Journal, and Berkeley La Raza Law Student Association at UC Berkeley School of Law back in 2001.
Sotomayor said, "I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life." This comment is probably the biggest reason for the firestorm of criticism from the right wing pundits and politicians.
The cultural reality and a proposition that many majority Americans cannot accept is the fact that our cultural heritage and upbringing does bear on our values and opinions. I believe it is important to put that "damning comment" made by Sotomayor at the law symposium in perspective. Something the blind and deaf right-wing of the Republican Party either cannot see or simply fails to understand.
During her presentation at the law symposium, Sotomayor further clarified her opinion that gender or cultural backgrounds can and will affect decisions that judges must make.
Sotomayor explained, "Hence, one must accept the proposition that a difference there will be by the presence of women and people of color on the bench. Personal experiences affect the facts that judges choose to see. My hope is that I will take the good from my experiences and extrapolate them further into areas with which I am unfamiliar. I simply do not know exactly what that difference will be in my judging. But I accept there will be some based on my gender and my Latina heritage."
I believe that because of our cultural upbringing and life experiences, we may see issues differently based on our life perspectives. I also believe Sotomayor will bring that "empathy" to the Supreme Court and, as a result, ensure that justice is shared with all who bring their grievances to the court.
Still, as we journey through life, we will have to deal with people, who because of their lack of cultural sensitivity and ignorance of life equity issues, will always make fools of themselves. If Tancredo knew of the work of the National Council of La Raza, he would never even consider or compare the KKK to the NCLR.
If he understood the significance that the NCLR has in our Latino community as a strong voice of equity and civil rights, he would agree that his racist comments have only given us reason to doubt that he has all of America in mind when he claims to work on issues affecting the citizens of our country.
Obama, Sotomayor, and the Democratic Party leadership work to keep the debate about the real issues for confirmation and not the wedge issues continually pushed in our faces by the GOP choir of xenophobia and intolerance.
It is interesting to note that Newt Gingrich finally backed away from his initial reaction to the nomination of Sotomayor and apologized, saying that his reaction was "perhaps too strong and too direct. The sentiment struck me as racist and I said so." Gingrich went on to say, "The word 'racist' should not have been applied to Judge Sotomayor as a person, even if her words themselves are unacceptable."
Now from one extreme to the other in the Sotomayor debate is the matter of the Tancredo interview on CNN where he called Sotomayor a "racist," and NCLR as the "Latino KKK."
The Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) is demanding that CNN, which carried the Tancredo interview with reporter Rick Sanchez, denounce the Tancredo remarks. It is also demanding that CNN refrain from "providing a forum for pundits that consistently disparage the Latino community."
Additionally, MALDEF and NCLR are collecting petitions to send to CNN, reflecting their concerns and outlining their demands. MALDEF laid out their position in a press release. "MALDEF will not stand by and watch as Tancredo attempts to smear the reputation of one of the nation's distinguished federal jurists with false claims and misinformation."
Talking about false claims and misinformation, this attempt to muzzle CNN is simply wrong. While there is no way I could endorse what Tancredo said in his interview, MALDEF and NCLR are reacting like the rightwing extremists Gingrich and Limbaugh. They are coming up with a ridiculous attempt to censure people with different opinions and their right of free speech.
I wonder if along with his apology, Gingrich also volunteered to do some community service for the Latino community. If so, I am wondering if he did not volunteer his time as a news pundit to assist MALDEF and NCLR with their silly complaint about CNN.
That is about the only way I can understand why MALDEF and NCLR would demand an apology from CNN because the network aired Tancredo's comments about Sotomayor. By asking people to sign on to their Internet petition, they have successfully diverted the debate about Sotomayor's qualifications to a wedge issue of free speech.
Perhaps the headman from Venezuela, President Hugo Chavez, offered some of his personal advice as well since he is so good at shutting down any news organization that criticizes his government for corruption.
At any rate, let's forget about the questionable petitions criticizing a national cable news channel for doing their job for presenting a diversity of opinions and ideas and let us keep the debate on ensuring that Judge Sonia Sotomayor becomes the first Latina Supreme Court Justice.
*******************************
Fidel "Butch" Montoya is Director of H.S. Power and Light Ministries. He was the Vice President/News Director of KUSA Channel 9 News from 1985-1990, and worked at the news station for 24 years. Montoya also served as Deputy Mayor of City and County of Denver from 1995-1999; as the Manager of Public Safety for the City and County of Denver from 1994-2000. Montoya was Licensed to preach in 1972.
This article previously was posted at Latino Landscape -
http://www.latinolandscape.com/
Sunday, May 10, 2009
So Who is deaf, dumb, and blind?
By Fidel "Butch" Montoya
H. S. Power & Light Ministries - Latino Faith Initiative
If you are not aware by now that the Obama Presidency has reached the milestone of the first 100 days as President, you have not been reading the newspaper, surfing the Internet, or watching any one of the thousand newscasts on cable or digital TV.
The news about the first 100 days is everywhere. While the milestone is largely symbolic and created by the news media, it does provide some idea how the President is doing.
The polls still show the President is very popular. In spite of the bleak news of the free falling economy, the auto industry breaking down, and now the threat of a world flu pandemic that surely is going to affect just about every facet of our daily lives, most people still feel Obama is living up to his campaign promises.
Now I say most people, because if you are a Republican, you are most likely not in that crowd. The Republicans are slowing showing they are the most irrelevant group on earth.
I have never heard so many politicians or conservative pundits whining just about everything the President does, says, or acts out.
Radio big mouth Rush Limbaugh and Fox Cable non-stop talker Sean Hannity are the new guru's of right-wing Republican content and strategy. They claim to be in charge, and are expecting every red bloodied right-winger to follow their lead.
Moreover, if you do not, you must be a simpleton of the other party.
Michelle Malkin, the princess of doom calls all of these moments, "Kodak moments." Like when she complains about the President "bowing down and scraping before Saudi King Abdullah." For all the complaining, Obama did not bow before the Lord of the Oil Rich Desert. For Malkin, it is the "100 days of reckless photo-op hubris," or lies of her imaginations.
First, the complainer made an issue that the President was using a teleprompter for his speeches and news conferences - the little mirrors, set up around the podium, used by the President whenever he stands at a podium. They complained that the teleprompter gave the President a professional edge when he spoke and that his delivery was being controlled by this new technology.
The right-wing guardians of the truth complained that the President was showing weakness when he went to Europe and "apologized on behalf of our country for being an arrogant nation."
The President said he was trying to let the people of Europe, and the world, know that too often America did not listen or respect the opinions of the other nations.
Obama went to Europe to tell the world that he recognized the need for a new beginning of mutual honest relationships. The GOP cheerleaders felt the President was not arrogant enough and gave the impression America was weak and rudderless.
The GOP bad news choir back home complained about the President's new budget. It was "full of ear marks and pork," and they felt President Obama was just plain irresponsible for proposing a budget of spend, spend and spend.
It is funny how soon the Republican vanguard forgot that when President Bush was in office, he overspent the budget for eight years, leaving this nation almost bankrupt when he left office. Well, okay...bankrupt!
The good news? No, the bad news is that our children and grandchild will pay the Bush bill of excess for years.
I guess it was okay for the Bush pork barrel accountants to spend taxpayer money... throwing away billions of tax dollars a month in Iraq alone. I do not remember hearing any complaints from the GOP guardians of speeding back then, did you?
Next, they complained about the people the President selecting for his cabinet.
Last time I remember, the President has the right to choose what people he wanted to serve in cabinet level positions.
Of course, I will say, that if you forget to pay your taxes, perhaps you should not be in a cabinet level position.
However, it just was not just the tax issues. It was the fact the GOP HR people just did not like the people the President was selecting because... well, you name the reason, it did not really matter.
The "Big Business Republicans" complained about Wall Street and the billions of dollars the President was forced to spend to keep our financial integrity from collapsing in a worldwide depression or bankruptcy.
Of course, these GOP hawkers were the same people who wined and dined the big corporate honchos. They legislated big tax breaks for the privileged under President Bush's watch, which in turn allowed these big money felons to rip off millions of investors.
The Republicans are now complaining about how the Democrats are within the magic 60 votes in the Senate after the defection of their very own Republican Arlen Specter joined the Obama Party.
They are now complaining having one party being in total control of Congress and the White House is just not the right way to govern our country. I guess they forgot when they were in control of Congress and the White House it was just fine. After all, the Republicans created the age-old Congressional felons committee.
Some of the GOP fanatics were ready to pounce right through their television sets when they saw the President at the summit greeting Latin American leaders. "Oh, no, God forbid, but did the President just shake hands with Venezuela President Chavez?"
"Oh my God, he was giving this heathen the credibility he coveted... the same man who called President Bush...the devil!"
You would have thought President Obama had broken one of the Ten Commandments with the way they cried about how Obama conducted himself.
Contrary to Fox News reports, Obama's hand did not fall off.
Complain, complain, that is all these members of the loyal opposition do. They have not been able to find one thing that the President has done in his first 100 days that they could count as worthwhile.
I find that the Party of No has lost its way. When the purveyors of hate radio and the comical bobble heads of cable news who manage to cry tears on cue cannot honestly report the news without bias, something is terribly wrong.
Then of course, the leaders of the loyal opposition in Congress, who cannot even find their way out of a house of mirrors, expect us to respect what they spew out of their mouths because after all, they are right - All Right, All the Time.
I think the spokespeople of the Grand Old Party do not understand how idiotic they look and how they are simply shooting themselves in the foot every time they open their mouths and complain about Obama.
I may not agree that the President has done every thing just the way I would have hoped, but gee whiz, to complain about everything is just plain stupid and short sided.
But then, what do you expect from people who cannot see the truth, much less report it.
Fidel "Butch" Montoya
H. S. Power & Light Ministries - Latino Faith Initiative
Denver, Colorado 80212
fmon@hotmail.com
(This article previously was posted at Latino Landscape -
http://www.latinolandscape.com/
H. S. Power & Light Ministries - Latino Faith Initiative
If you are not aware by now that the Obama Presidency has reached the milestone of the first 100 days as President, you have not been reading the newspaper, surfing the Internet, or watching any one of the thousand newscasts on cable or digital TV.
The news about the first 100 days is everywhere. While the milestone is largely symbolic and created by the news media, it does provide some idea how the President is doing.
The polls still show the President is very popular. In spite of the bleak news of the free falling economy, the auto industry breaking down, and now the threat of a world flu pandemic that surely is going to affect just about every facet of our daily lives, most people still feel Obama is living up to his campaign promises.
Now I say most people, because if you are a Republican, you are most likely not in that crowd. The Republicans are slowing showing they are the most irrelevant group on earth.
I have never heard so many politicians or conservative pundits whining just about everything the President does, says, or acts out.
Radio big mouth Rush Limbaugh and Fox Cable non-stop talker Sean Hannity are the new guru's of right-wing Republican content and strategy. They claim to be in charge, and are expecting every red bloodied right-winger to follow their lead.
Moreover, if you do not, you must be a simpleton of the other party.
Michelle Malkin, the princess of doom calls all of these moments, "Kodak moments." Like when she complains about the President "bowing down and scraping before Saudi King Abdullah." For all the complaining, Obama did not bow before the Lord of the Oil Rich Desert. For Malkin, it is the "100 days of reckless photo-op hubris," or lies of her imaginations.
First, the complainer made an issue that the President was using a teleprompter for his speeches and news conferences - the little mirrors, set up around the podium, used by the President whenever he stands at a podium. They complained that the teleprompter gave the President a professional edge when he spoke and that his delivery was being controlled by this new technology.
The right-wing guardians of the truth complained that the President was showing weakness when he went to Europe and "apologized on behalf of our country for being an arrogant nation."
The President said he was trying to let the people of Europe, and the world, know that too often America did not listen or respect the opinions of the other nations.
Obama went to Europe to tell the world that he recognized the need for a new beginning of mutual honest relationships. The GOP cheerleaders felt the President was not arrogant enough and gave the impression America was weak and rudderless.
The GOP bad news choir back home complained about the President's new budget. It was "full of ear marks and pork," and they felt President Obama was just plain irresponsible for proposing a budget of spend, spend and spend.
It is funny how soon the Republican vanguard forgot that when President Bush was in office, he overspent the budget for eight years, leaving this nation almost bankrupt when he left office. Well, okay...bankrupt!
The good news? No, the bad news is that our children and grandchild will pay the Bush bill of excess for years.
I guess it was okay for the Bush pork barrel accountants to spend taxpayer money... throwing away billions of tax dollars a month in Iraq alone. I do not remember hearing any complaints from the GOP guardians of speeding back then, did you?
Next, they complained about the people the President selecting for his cabinet.
Last time I remember, the President has the right to choose what people he wanted to serve in cabinet level positions.
Of course, I will say, that if you forget to pay your taxes, perhaps you should not be in a cabinet level position.
However, it just was not just the tax issues. It was the fact the GOP HR people just did not like the people the President was selecting because... well, you name the reason, it did not really matter.
The "Big Business Republicans" complained about Wall Street and the billions of dollars the President was forced to spend to keep our financial integrity from collapsing in a worldwide depression or bankruptcy.
Of course, these GOP hawkers were the same people who wined and dined the big corporate honchos. They legislated big tax breaks for the privileged under President Bush's watch, which in turn allowed these big money felons to rip off millions of investors.
The Republicans are now complaining about how the Democrats are within the magic 60 votes in the Senate after the defection of their very own Republican Arlen Specter joined the Obama Party.
They are now complaining having one party being in total control of Congress and the White House is just not the right way to govern our country. I guess they forgot when they were in control of Congress and the White House it was just fine. After all, the Republicans created the age-old Congressional felons committee.
Some of the GOP fanatics were ready to pounce right through their television sets when they saw the President at the summit greeting Latin American leaders. "Oh, no, God forbid, but did the President just shake hands with Venezuela President Chavez?"
"Oh my God, he was giving this heathen the credibility he coveted... the same man who called President Bush...the devil!"
You would have thought President Obama had broken one of the Ten Commandments with the way they cried about how Obama conducted himself.
Contrary to Fox News reports, Obama's hand did not fall off.
Complain, complain, that is all these members of the loyal opposition do. They have not been able to find one thing that the President has done in his first 100 days that they could count as worthwhile.
I find that the Party of No has lost its way. When the purveyors of hate radio and the comical bobble heads of cable news who manage to cry tears on cue cannot honestly report the news without bias, something is terribly wrong.
Then of course, the leaders of the loyal opposition in Congress, who cannot even find their way out of a house of mirrors, expect us to respect what they spew out of their mouths because after all, they are right - All Right, All the Time.
I think the spokespeople of the Grand Old Party do not understand how idiotic they look and how they are simply shooting themselves in the foot every time they open their mouths and complain about Obama.
I may not agree that the President has done every thing just the way I would have hoped, but gee whiz, to complain about everything is just plain stupid and short sided.
But then, what do you expect from people who cannot see the truth, much less report it.
Fidel "Butch" Montoya
H. S. Power & Light Ministries - Latino Faith Initiative
Denver, Colorado 80212
fmon@hotmail.com
(This article previously was posted at Latino Landscape -
http://www.latinolandscape.com/
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